Shooting time?

[BIGDOG253]

My buddies and I headed out to potholes this last weekend for the opener and had blast!

Shooting time this weekend started at 6:45am. My buddies and I always wait until shooting time before taking the first shot. Even after shooting time began, the birds were still hard to see when they were coming in. We passed on a lot of birds while waiting for shooting hours.

We heard a group start shooting at 6:15am!!! 30 minutes early! C,mon man! Once those shots were taking everyone else started shooting early too.

When do you take your first shot?  After shooting time? When you can see the colors on the birds?

[bobcat]

Usually it seems like it isn't really light enough to identify what you're shooting at until at least 15 minutes after legal shooting time begins.

[vandeman17]

I rarely shoot at actual lst unless maybe a group has landed in the decoys that I could identify, flush and shoot. I would say most often the birds seem to be wearing their watches as they fly like crazy until like 10 minutes before lst then it dies until shortly after...

[Pnwrider]

Wait until legal shoot time. I have good eyes still and can usually id birds early.

[aaronoto]

I'd be shocked if anyone admits to shooting before LST. 

After LST for me or right on the dot, although if it's right on the dot it's usually because there's one in the decoys.  I don't shoot enough ducks to impose a "drake only" limit on myself, so as long as I can ID it as legal game and I'm well within my species/sex limits, that's good enough for me.  Most of my identification near LST is by sound, size, wing beat, or tail shape as they circle the decoys a few times before deciding to land.  I don't find it super hard to ID by sight combined with those other attributes though.

[Commando]

If I can't identify the birds 100% at lst I don't shoot. If there is any doubt about it possibly being to darknstill I don't shoot. I was alaway taught don't shoot unless you can't positively id your target. This past weekend on the opener we passed a bunch of birds after lst because the wasn't enough light yet.

[h2ofowlr]

Wait until legal shoot time. I have good eyes still and can usually id birds early.

    Good at picking out fast moving silhouettes and can ID drake or hen in the dark?  Your better than me and I have silhouettes dialed in and calls.     

[S&W38spc]

I wouldnt want to be on an episode of Rugged Justice so I want to wait til shooting time.

[lokidog]

Usually it seems like it isn't really light enough to identify what you're shooting at until at least 15 minutes after legal shooting time begins.

True, but I know that first duck will be a legal one, whatever it is....     I do wait for legal time though, no matter how insistent my dog is that I blast that bugger in the decoys.   

[Stein]

I wait, because I don't want a ticket and it ruins the experience for me knowing I did something wrong and have to look over my shoulder all day.

I watched 3 mature bulls from about 80 yards before LST and some dude rolled up and blasted away 10 minutes before legal and sent them running, missing all four shots.

[RClare1223]

I wouldnt want to be on an episode of Rugged Justice so I want to wait til shooting time.

Dont worry . If you are actually hunting or fishing you wont be on the show.

[bobcat]

I wouldnt want to be on an episode of Rugged Justice so I want to wait til shooting time.

Dont worry . If you are actually hunting or fishing you wont be on the show.

    True.

[jjaba]

always wait until legal time and can do a positive identification....